To build strong relationships you need confidence about where you stand with the other person. When it comes to God, many Christians are unsure about their relationship with him or whether they’ll make it to heaven.
What do you understand makes someone a Christian? How do you know you’re a Christian? What changes have you noticed in your life since you became a Christian? If you’re unclear about these questions, then consider reading through the "Knowing God Personally".
The Bible says we can know that we’re forgiven, that we’re dearly loved and that we’ll be with God forever. God wants us to be sure of our relationship with Him. Being clear about this is vital to build trust and friendship with him. The basis for our confidence with God is the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
What else can we be sure of from these promises?
- What’s the door Jesus is talking about?
- Have you opened the door to him and how did you do that?
- What’s Jesus’ promise?
- Where’s eternal life found?
- Do you have eternal life?
- How do you know?
- Do you trust that God’s promises we’ve just read are dependable?
- If we trust God’s promises in the Bible then this gives us a secure foundation to build on. How do our feelings fit in to this?
Christians live by faith, trusting in God and what he has said in his Word. Feelings are valid and important, but they don’t determine what’s true. As we put our confidence in what God says, our feelings will catch up. It’s as we trust God in a specific area, eg. Thathe’s forgiven a particular sin, that we are able to experience him in that area. Faith leads us to experience. Just as the steam train, fueled from the coal truck, pulls the carriage, so our Christian life is driven by God’s promises in the Bible fueled by our trust. A Christian doesn’t need to be pushed around by fleeting feelings. How can this diagramhelp us with the promise in Revelation 3v20?
Ultimately there are 3 things that give us confidence in our relationship with God:
- Our trust in the authority of God’s Word and the promises He makes to us.
(Revelation 3v20; 1 John 5v11-13).
- The Holy Spirit who works in our hearts assuring us that we’re God’s children
(Romans 8v15-17; Galatians 4v4-7).
- Over time we see evidence of change in our lives
(Galatians 5v22-23, 1 John 2v3-6, 1 John 3v14).
As we spend time with God and get to know him more, our ability to trust that he loves us andcares about us grows. As our love and trust increase, so we become more and more like Jesus.
Action:
Right now, thank God for His love, that he’s forgiven you and given you eternal life. Try to spend some time alone each day getting to know him better through reading the Bible and talking to him through prayer. Think now of a Christian friend who is unsure about their relationship with Christ. How can you help them build a solid foundation in their faith?
Reflect on:
